Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin MP

Jim Dobbin MP

The Boroughwide redevelopment of our town centres is well on the way. It is to the credit of the local authority that these changes are speeding up.

Heywood & Middleton town centres are further on than those of Castleton and Rochdale but the plans I have seen give me confidence that in the next four or five years we will see centres that will give our local communities something to be proud of. It is up to the individuals in responsible positions like me to make sure that we talk up this town and give encouraging messages to businesses across the country that Rochdale borough is worth considerable investment.

The radical historic heritage of the area should be shared with the rest of the country. The links with the Heywood family and the involvement of two family members called Peter Heywood, one who snatched the lantern from the hand of Guy Fawkes as he tried to blow up Parliament and the other who was a midshipman on HMS Bounty are two examples of local players in national history.

Middleton’s association with Cardinal Langley, who was Chancellor to three monarchs, the links with Middleton and the Peterloo massacre, the famous Middleton Archers, the renowned architect Edgar Wood responsible for many fine buildings in the town, the old Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and the ancient Parish Church are all worthy tourist attractions.

Rochdale of course has the famous Pioneers Museum where the history of the Co-operative Movement is housed. This attraction draws in many co-operators from all over the world and I feel very privileged to be a Labour and Co-operative MP. The town’s Grade 1 listed Town Hall is a fantastic feature set among many fine buildings with the 800 year old Parish Church looking down on it all.

Scenic beauty is a feature of the borough and there are magnificent views in Ashworth Valley, the wild moors to the North of Norden and Bamford, the beautiful areas beyond Wardle and the reservoirs, the lake at Hollingworth and its water sports and the lovely walks in Healey Dell. There is the ancient Roman Road and we have access to some of the best parks in the country.

These are the aspects of the borough that we should be promoting. Let’s not forget the people of the borough who take part in the many groups and clubs that cater for all tastes and all ages and keep the spirit of Rochdale Borough alive even in difficult times. So, let’s be positive.

There are many excellent amateur dramatic clubs in the borough and I must mention again the wonderful musical, Jesus Christ Superstar produced and performed by the community of Bamford Chapel.

Hopwood Hall College Annual Review made pleasant reading and it is moving towards becoming an outstanding educational establishment. The presentation given by the students themselves reflected the real spirit of involvement and responsibility that they have. I was captivated by the James Bond feature - very clever.

I attended two business meetings in Heywood which showed how hard our local businesses are working in partnership with the council to tackle the economic downturn, a good example of public and private sectors working for their mutual benefit and the good of the borough.